In an age when sound engineers can make any artist sound flawless in a music studio, it is rare to hear a band replicate the perfection of studio tracks at a live concert. However, last Saturday night at The Fillmore Silver Spring, alternative folk trio Milky Chance proved itself to be an exceptional case of raw musical talent.

The two-floored venue was filled to the brim with concertgoers of all ages. The middle-aged attendees on the upper floor of the concert hall offered occasional head bops to the band’s music, while the bottom floor was jam-packed with a younger, more spirited crowd. The energy in the air made it evident the audience was thrilled to hear the German folk group perform its new album, “Blossom.”

With a few colorful lights and a smoke machine, The Fillmore was converted from a drab and empty dark room into a vibrant arena with an upbeat mood that paralleled the band’s folksy indie music.

The lead singer of Milky Chance, Clemens Rehbein, strode on to the stage, donning a quirky ’70s-esque bright green and white button-up, corduroy pants and disheveled hair. The singer’s image perfectly prepared the crowd for his performance, which was slightly unorganized but tremendously enthusiastic and energetic.

The band began its 90-minute set with some of the biggest hits from its new album: “Ego,” “Blossom” and “Firebird.” During the group’s rendition of “Firebird,” Rehbein and Antonio Greger, the lead guitarist, showcased their remarkable guitar dexterities with long solos that pumped up the audience.
After performing the more upbeat songs off its latest album, the group transitioned into a period of older songs from its 2013 debut album, “Sadnecessary.” One of its most popular songs, “Flashed Junkmind,” had the crowd in an outright frenzy.

Milky Chance’s melodic acumen was palpable to each member of the crowd. Rehbein’s distinct voice resonated with the audience and was supported by his bandmates’ unmatched skills on instruments from the harmonica to the bongos.

The band did not interact much with the crowd, but it was able to establish and maintain a strong connection with its audience through the passion it conveyed while performing and dancing on stage. Rehbein and Greger seemed to enter another world when they started playing their music, and they soon started dancing to their own songs while jamming out on their guitars.

The quirkiness fans love about Milky Chance was evident as Philipp Dausch, the lead percussionist, showed off his dance moves. The strong bond between the members of the band was clear on stage, allowing the audience to forge a connection to each one of them, making the concert even more enjoyable for both the band and the audience.

Despite the sheer talent of Milky Chance and the reaction they evoked from the crowd, the concert was plagued by awkward pauses and breaks when the colorful and invigorating ambience was shattered by the lights turning on and the band going completely silent to switch out instruments. While it is understandable the group needed time to change its instruments and set up because of the variety of styles present in their songs, a better flow would have eliminated the choppiness of the concert.

Around 10:30 p.m. as the concert winded down, neither the crowd nor the band wanted it to end. The band teased the crowd by exiting the stage, but the request for an encore was shortly fulfilled.

Closing the show with one of its most sensational tracks, “Stolen Dance,” Milky Chance left the audience basking in all its glory and completely and utterly in awe.